Signal-box.



W. H. BRQCKWAY.

SIGNAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.3, 1915.

1,182,833, Patented May 9, 1916.

1 H F I WILLARD H. BROCKWAY, 0F NEED'I-IAM HEIGHTS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GAMEWELL FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEWTON UPPER, FALLS, MAS- SACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SIGNAL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Application filed January 3, 1916. Serial No. 69,790.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLARD H. BROOK- wAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Needham Heights, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Signal-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in plug switch testing-devices for fire-alarm signal boxes. At the present time these boxes contain a. testing-device comprising stationary terminal-plates and a removable plug, said plug being adapted for engagement with the plates, as a bridging-member, to electrically connect them together in different ways to make different tests. Ordinarily the stationary-plates are made in the form of, and adapted to serve as a lightning-arrester, and comprise a pair of sideplates which are included in the sides of the line, and a ground-plate arranged between the side-plates which is connected with a ground branch or tab, the side-plates being separated or insulated from each other and from the ground-plate by an airgap, and theremovable-plug is adapted to bridge the air-gap between the side-plates and between either side-plate and the ground-plate, thereby to electrically connect the side-plates together and to connect either side-plate with the ground-plate. Also there is usually a hole in the middle of the ground-plate adapted to receive the plug when it is not in use.

A test of the circuits through the signaling-mechanism is usually made by an inspector who removes the test-plug from the middle hole in the ground-plate, and inserts it between the side-plates or between either side-plate and the ground-plate. It sometimes happens that the inspector, after making a test, will leave the plug in one of its testing positions, thereby cutting out or grounding the signal-mechanism and consequently rendering the box useless, and which might not be discovered until the box had failed, when pulled for fire. Then again sometimes the inspector removes the testing-plug, but instead of returning it to its proper place, puts it in his bag or pocket.

The essential object of this invention is the provision of a holder for the testingplug, and means controlled by the testingplug when contained in its holder for gow erning the closing of the box-door, whereby said door cannot be closed unless the testing-plug has been replaced.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a holder for the testingplug, and a movable stop-member associated or combined therewith, said stop-member being controlled by the plug and being arranged to govern the closing of the box-door.

Another specific object of the invention is the mounting of the testing-plug holder on the inside of the box-door, and so arranging the stop-member that it will be held in normal position by the plug, when said plug is contained in its holder, and will be per mitted or caused to move into an abnormal position when said plug is removed from its holder, said stop-member, when in normal position, permitting the opening and closing of the door, and when in abnormal position preventing the closing of the door.

Another specific object of the invention is the pivotal mounting of the stop-member on the holder for the testing-plug so constructing said member that it may be held in its normal position by the testingplug, when said plug is contained in its holder, and will be permitted to fall by gravity or to be otherwise moved into an abnormal position when the testing-plug is removed therefrom.

Another specific obiect of the invention is the construction of the holder for the testing-plug and the stop-member whereby said parts may be cheaply manufactured and may be readily applied to existing firealarm boxes withoutreouiring substantial changes or alterations of either the afore said parts. or of the boxto which they are applied.

The above and other incidental objects, which will be hereinafter more specifically treated, are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto, and form a part of this application.

With reference to the drawings wherein there has been illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts ;Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fire alarm-box showing inner and outer doors, both in open position, a holder for the testing-plug, and governing means for the inner door, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail face View of the terminal-board. Fig. 3 is a top view of the terminal-board. Fig. 4c is an edge View of the terminal-board. Fig. 5 is a face view of a. portion of the inner-door showing the holder and stop-member applied thereto; and, Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Before taking up a detailed description of the invention as herein embodied, I desire to particularly emphasize the fact that whlle the holder for the testing-plug and associated means controlled by it for governing the closing of the box door have been illustrated in connection with a particular type of fire-alarm box, comprising an outer and an inner box, they may be also efficiently employed in connection with any other type of box, since the invention does not depend for its utility upon the structural features of the box itself.

As herein shown, the box 10 is of the usual type and contains a testing-device comprising side terminal-plates 11, 12, and a ground terminal-plate 13, said plates being stationarily supported, and cooperating testing-plug 1 1. As here shown, the plates are constructed and arranged to form a lightning-arrester, the side-plates being separated from each other and from the ground-plate byair-spaces or gaps, and recesses are formed in the edges of the plates adjacent to these gaps to form holes to re-.

ceive the testing-plug, said plug being adapted for engagement with the plates, as a. bridging-member, to electrically connect them in different ways to make difierent tests.

The plates are here shown as arranged in an inner-box 15, having a door 16, and herein I attach the holder 17 for the plug to the inner side of this door. Herein the holder comprises a cylinder 18, having an opening 19 to receive the testing-plug, and a reduced stem 20 which passes through an opening in the door 16 adjacent the lower edge thereof and is swaged to form a retaining head 21, or said cylinder may be otherwise secured to the door.

To insure the return of the plug to the holder after it has been removed therefrom, I employ a movable element which is controlled by the plug and is adapted, upon the withdrawal of the plug from its holder, to move to operative position for preventing the closing of the door. In the present embodiment the movable element is in the form of a stop-member 22, made from a metal strip, and having an angular end portion 23 in the plane of the body-portion and a terminal ear 2 1 extended from the end-portion 23 at right angles to the plane thereof to receive the plug. The stop-member 22 has an opening adjacent its angular end-portion 23, to receive the reduced stem 20, of the holder whereby said stopmember 22 is pivotally supported.

When the ear registers with the opening 19 of the holder, the lower end of the movable member 22 is located above the lower edge of the door. 16. Thus the movable door controlling-member is adapted to be normally held in inoperative position by the plug when contained in its holder. However, upon removal of the plug from the holder, the movable-member will immediately swing downwardly (by gravity in the present embodiment) to project its lower end below the lower edge of the door 16, and in position to engage the wall of the box and thereby prevent the closing of the door 16. Thus it will be impossible for an inspector to inadvertently leave the testingplug in testing position after a test of the circuits has been made, for, unless the plug is withdrawn and properly replaced in its holder, the inner door cannot be returned to close position, and, as a consequence, the outer door cannot be returned to closed position. Further, even though the plug has been moved from the testing-device, the nner door cannot be closed unless the plug is properly returned to the holder, and the stop-member lifted into its inoperative position.

While the holder and stop-member above described have been found to be especially practical, since they are relatively simple in construction and may be readily applied to any box, without requiring any changes therein, it may. under some circumstances, be desired to change the specific construction of the invention, and that my present invention contemplates such changes, as long as the structure includes a testing-plug holder and a movable element controlled thereby, for preventing the closing of the box door, when the testing-plug is not arranged in its holder.

I claim 1. A signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug and movable means arranged to govern the closing of the box door, said means being controlled by the plug when contained in the holder.

2. A signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug and movable means arranged to govern the closing of the box door, said means being held in inoperative position when the plug is contained in the holder.

3. A signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug and movable means arranged to govern the closing of the boxdoor, said means being held in inoperative position when the plug is contained in the holder, and being releasable to move to operative position upon withdrawal of the plug from the holder.

4. A signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug and movable means arranged to govern the closing of the boxdoor, and means associated with said movable means and engageable by the plug when the same is contained in the holder for maintaining the movable means in normal inoperative position.

5. A signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates arranged in the box, and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug arranged on the inside of the box-door, and movable means arranged to govern the closing of the box-door and engageable by the plug when the latter is contained in its holder.

6. A signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug and a movable-member supported thereby and arranged to govern the closing of the box-door, said means being controlled by the plug.

7. A signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug and a movable means associated therewith and arranged to control the closing of the box-door, said holder and movable means being adapted to conjoint-1y receive the plug, whereby the said means will be held in inoperative position.

8. A signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug and a movable means associated therewith and arranged to control the closing of the box-door, said holder and movable means being adapted to conjointly receive the plug, whereby the said means will be held in inoperative position, said means being releasable to move to operative position to prevent closing of the door upon the removal of the plug from the holder.

9. A fire-alarm signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary "plates, and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation. a holder for the plug arranged in the box-door. and a stop-member swingingly supported by the holder and of a length greater from its pivotal point to its free end, than the distance from the holder to the adjacent edge of the door, said stop being normally held with its free end within the limits of the door by means of the test-plug, when said member is contained in the holder.

10. A signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates arranged in the box, and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug arranged on the inside of the boxdoor, and a stop-member rotatably mounted on said holder having an end-portion adapted to extend beyond the margin of the door, said member being engageable by the plug when contained in its holder and adapted to be held with its end-portion arranged within the margin of the door.

11. A signal-box having a pair of terminal plates adapted to be included in the sides of the line, a ground-plate therebetween, the plates being insulated from each other and adapted to receive a test-plug to electrically connect them, a holder for the plug, and movable means arranged to govern the closing of the box-door, said means being controlled by the plug, when the same is contained in the holder.

12. A fire-alarm signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug, a stopmember swingingly supported by the holder, an ear on the stop-member extended angularly thereto, said ear being provided with an opening adapted to receive the testingplug when said member is contained in the holder, whereby the stop-member is maintained in inoperative position.

13. A fire-alarm signal-box having a testing-device comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug compris ing a cylinder secured to the door and having an opening adapted to receive the plug, and a stop-member comprising an arm of a length greater than the distance from the cylinder to the lower edge of the door, said arm having at one end an opening freely receiving the cylinder whereby the stopmember is swingingly supported thereon, an angular extension on the arm at the pivoted terminal thereof and in the plane of the arm, and an apertured ear extending in a plane at right-angles to the extension, said ear being adapted to receive the plug, when the plug is contained in the cylinder, whereby the arm will be held in inoperative position.

14. A tire-alarm signal-box having a testing-device, comprising stationary plates and a removable testing-plug adapted for cooperation, a holder for the plug extended laterally from the door, a reduced annular shoulder formed on the holder at its inner terminal, ZL stem Of less diameter than the holder extended longitudinally there from and passing through the door, a stopmember terminally pivoted upon the annular shoulder, and means carried by the stop and engageable by the plug, whereby the In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to th1s speclficatlon, 1n the presence 1 of two subscriblng Witnesses.

WILLARD H. BROCKWAY.

stop-member Will be maintained in inopera- Witnesses: tive position When the test-plug is con B. J. N oYEs, mined in the holder. H. B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

